10 women hurt in bar brawl

MANILA, Philippines - Ten women were injured after figuring in a brawl between two purported groups of lesbians in a bar along Taft Avenue in Manila before dawn yesterday.

Members of both groups swapped charges of physical injuries at the Manila Police District-Women and Children Concerns Division after the incident at the Chairwood bar at around 4 a.m.

The 10 women who sustained injuries were: Rose Ann Siriban, Sharmaine Ruth Garingo, Mylene Lacorda, Janine Jalocon, Pauline Buencamino, Riza Asenda, Clarissa Cusanel, Hansel Eusebio, Joebeth Hernandez and Lovely Muyot.

Siriban told investigators that the other group ganged up on them after one of their members drew the attention of women in the bar.

“One of our companions, Nedz, is good-looking, that’s why many girls like her,” Siriban said in Filipino.

She claimed that when she and friends Garingo, Lacorda, Jalocon and Buencamino went out of the bar to go home, the other group – Asenda, Cusanel, Eusebio, Hernandez and Muyot – blocked their way and the brawl started.

Siriban said she tried to flee toward nearby Kalumayan Hotel but was cornered by members of the rival group. She said they kicked her and used a stone to hit her in the face. She was rushed to the Ospital ng Maynila for treatment along with her other wounded friends.

Chief Inspector Anita Araullo said they will investigate the incident. Police said the women claimed they lost their cell phones during the brawl.